Just Breathe
by Links6
Summary: Hinata has an asthma attack during practice and Kageyama's got all the right moves to help ... slight au, asthmatic!Hinata awesome!Kageyama
1. Chapter 1

_Diclaimer: I still do not own Haikyuu or any of its themes or characters... it's FANfiction_

 _AN: prompt: AU where everything's the same except Hinata has asthma... which turned into this... :3_

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 _ **Just Breathe**_

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It was just an asthma attack.

Basic mechanics.

Breathe in, breathe out.

No need to panic.

"Okay… just focus on your breathing," Kageyama says, his tone as calm as he could manage. Only, he could feel panic clawing up his own throat like it did every time this happened. But, nonetheless, he did his best to keep his voice light and calm, which somehow made Hinata feel a bit more at ease.

After all, this was about the fourth time this month, and Kageyama Tobio was a quick study. He learns fast what works and what doesn't. It's why he's such a brilliant setter. And, it's what's keeping Hinata together at this point.

It wasn't even something major that even triggered this attack.

They had already finished their warm-up laps around the court and were almost done stretching when it happened. Not a minute later and Kageyama had emerged from his own gym bag with the backup inhaler for Hinata, because, _of course,_ the dumbass had forgotten to pack his own.

At least that was why Kageyama was entrusted with a spare inhaler. He was a bit more conscious to where he kept things and wasn't apt to lose them. And it was a good thing too, this attack seemed to stretch longer than the others.

"I'll go get the nurse!" Sugawara practically shouts and both him and Daichi sprint out of the gym, almost tripping out of the exit of the court.

"Y-you'd thi-think I'd die… any se- second by ho… how they're… car-carry-ing on…" Hinata manages to gasp out through pants, a grin still on his face. His eyes were still screwed shut though and his hand was still clutching his chest.

"Tell me about it," Kageyama says with a sarcastic tone and keeps fanning Hinata's face with his English textbook, "… you should get them to buy you ice-cream afterwards, they'll do it too. Guilt trip the hell out them…"

"Y-Yeah…" another breathy response comes before a grunt, "Ow…."

"I'm sorry," comes an automatic response from the setter. He didn't know why he was apologizing. It just became a habit to him.

It was like, he felt it was his fault everytime Hinata had an asthma attack. He didn't know why. He figured he just wasn't paying attention. He wasn't focused enough and that's why it happened. Hinata was in immense pain right now because _he_ didn't realize his condition sooner.

"T-thanks, by… by the way…" the sun child says and cracks open his eyes. His eyes were brimming with tears, but it was obvious the pain was easing from the look on his face right now, "I… it's.. kicki –king in…"

Tobio sighs in relief before adjusting Shoyou's head on his lap, "Good to know" he says and smiles down at his friend and adds, "When you feel up to it, I'll toss to you."

"I didn't choose to stop in the first place," Hinata snaps, a frown forming on his face, "My body chose for me."

"I know…" Tobio answers solemnly, feeling the sting of having his joke backfire in his face, "I'm sorry."

"… Sorry," Hinata says apologetically, realizing the biting tone to his words. He takes in a deep breath and clears his throat, "It just… it… _hurts_ …"

"No shit," Kageyama snaps and raps him on the head, "And you almost gave me a heart attack… _again_."

That made Hinata giggle some.

"AND Daichi and Sugawara-san had to run to the nurse's office just for you!" Kageyama scolds and dramatically mimics their faces of dread and mimes with his arms how they sprinted out of the gym, "Not even Dateko could've blocked them!"

"Like a steam-ro..ller… r…r!" Hinata gasps out through chuckles. Only, the chuckles quickly turned into coughs once more and he ended up clutching his shirt again, "… ugh… thi… this s-sucks…"

"Just breathe… okay?" Kageyama whispers lowly, patting his own chest to get Hinata to focus on him, "Breathe with me…. Okay? In… one two three… out… one two three…"

The cycle repeats one more.

Twice more.

Three times and over until Hinata's closing his eyes again and his breathing stops shaking.

"At least this is one good use of English lit," Kageyama states and continues fanning Hinata's face, "Right?"

Only, Hinata Shoyou's practically asleep on Kageyama's lap. His breathing had evened out and his frown was completely wiped from his brow.

"I'm not carrying your heavy ass to the lockers again," Kageyama states lowly and sighs when he doesn't get a reply.

So, when the nurse finally arrives and checks on him, he's all cleared but still out like a light. The team ended up cancelling practice early and the Karasuno Volleyball team packed up in record time to head home.

"Will you be okay to carry him like that?" Daichi asks, concern still wearing on his features when they're exiting the school gates.

"Yeah, he's not heavy," Tobio answers and nods, "I'll drop him off at his home."

"Do you want us to walk with you?" Nishinoya asks, peering at the orange haired teen.

"It's fine," Kageyama states a bit too defensively and it makes the entire team laugh.

"Okay then, take good care of him!" Sugawara says sweetly and zips up his jacket, "Call us if you need anything."

"Night, guys!" Tanaka yells and heads off with Nishinoya to the Foothill store.

And, after a few minutes of lingering the entire team finally head off to their own homes. It was getting dark but the last rays of light still peeked over the mountains. It was peaceful. The first of the crickets started chirping when Kageyama was almost at Hinata's house.

"Hmm… wh… wha?" the mumbles from his friend alerted Kageyama to his state, "Where-what?".

"Don't worry… I've got you… I'm taking you home," Kageyama states confidently, knowing that information was the first thing the young teen would need in order to stop his spreading panic, "I'm carrying you home… we're passing the Yamato Photo shop on our way back from the gym… everyone else already went home."

He could feel Hinata's breathing slowing down as he spoke.

"We're almost at your house…" Tobio states and adjusts Hinata's position on his back, "How're you feeling? Did you sleep okay?"

"Yeah…" the young teen answers sleepily, making no motion to move from his current position, "I'm not too heavy, am I?"

"It's good exercise…."

"Jerk…"

"Dumbass."

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 _Please drop me pm or review if you liked it!_


	2. Chapter 2: Shortness of Breath

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 ** _Shortness of Breath_**

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."Hinata?"

"... it's okay. You feel that?"

His palm shakes as warmth spreads through it, and sure enough, a solid thump beats against his hand.

"That's my heartbeat, alright? Just focus on that."

The young man can only nod frantically, trying his best to calm down his erratic breathing. Tremors wrack his chest as too much and too little air seems to make it into his lungs at the same time. As if his body had completely forgotten how to function.

"You'll be okay..."

Cool air fills his lungs a moment later and he tries his best to force down the tears suddenly threatening to spill. The chilly ether almost instantly seems to relax his throat, allowing him to take steadier breaths.

He's aware that his choked, panicked breathing pattern was now slowing down. And, with awareness, comes clarity too.

He opens his eyes, instantly aware of two very concerned looking forms on his sides. The duckhaired captain of Nekoma, and the quiet setter, Kenma. Behind them, he can see the rest of Nekoma sitting or standing around him in a wide berth, each looking worried and anxious.

He groans and shuts his eyes again. The humiliation of his current predicament dawns on him and he's left with a sour taste in his mouth.

"Hey, Hinata," Kenma calls again, his voice soft and soothing, quieter than usual.

"H-eyh-" the squeak comes as a reply. The rush of wind hurts his throat, but Hinata just shakes his head in an attempt to get rid of the haze of pain, "Tn...s..."

"No problem," the captain of Nekoma answers, his voice still as authoritarian and confident as always.

"Yo, Yaku, did you find them yet?" Kuroo whispers, trying to keep the area around the young sunshine child as calm as possible.

"OH! Yea, I found their libero, he said he'll find the others," Lev answers all too eagerly.

"Would you SHUT UP, the ace's still sick, DUMBASS!" Yaku counters angrily and glares at the tall Russian, "The captain asked me!"

The assault of noise makes Hinata flinch, causing the icepack to fall from his chest.

The heat that follows sears his lungs and he starts coughing once more, clutching the fabric of his shirt as his lungs struggle to lose their erratic rhythm again.

"Let it out," comes the reassuring voice of Kuroo once more, followed by his hand working circles on his back, "If you die, that setter of yours will skin me alive."

"He is scary enough," Kenma adds non-chalantly, smiling in relief when their jibes makes Hinata crack a smile too.

"He-hs- not -at bad..." the broken reply comes, tinged with humour and fatigue.

"Not that bad?" Yaku quips sarcastically with a snort, earning a warning shoulder shove from their vice-captian, Kai.

Without a word, Kenma lifts up the icepack to Hinata's chest with one hand and supports his position with an arm to his back.

One more the cold calms down the young teen, seeping the tension out of the strained muscles and relieving the crushing pain that keeps him from breathing.

"Oi! Hinata! OI!" the frantic yell echoes through the hall.

The entire team looks over and a very stressed-out King of the Court deadsprints past all of them and skids to Hinata's side, "WHAT HAPPENED?!"

"We went to the vending machines for some juice after the match," Kenma says and frowns deeply, "And he just... I don't know why..."

Kageyama slips the inhaler into the hands of the orange-haired boy, fingertips trembling and a deep line of worry still present on his usual calm features.

"... Did you just...do you carry that thing around with you all the time?" Inouka asks in confusion.

"Yes." Kageyama snaps back, taking the small inhaler back from Hinata once he's done. He rests his hand on Hinata's back, acutely aware of the heat rising from his form. It was definitely just a medium one, not as bad as the last, but not something to be brushed off either.

For a few moments they all wait for the young man to finally calm down, for his breathing to settle and his suppressed coughs to die down.

When Hinata finally looks up, he smiles tiredly, "Sorr.. 'bout...tha..." his strained voice states. He rolls over to his hands and knees, struggling to get up. His legs keep shaking and he has to use his arm to lift his leg up enough to plant the sole of his sneaker on the ground.

Kenma and Kageyama wordlessly slip under Hinata's arms and pull him to standing along with them.

"We can carry him to the bus for you?" Kuroo says, his concerned expression never fading from his face, "It's quite a walk."

"No, thank you... " Kageyama quickly interjects and bows deeply towards Nekoma's captain, "Thank you for taking such good care of him, but I'll take him."

"We won't drop him," Yamamoto quips and grins, "That baldie from your squad will definitely kill us all in our sleep then, not to mention what your captain might do."

Kageyama, who'd managed to pull Hinata unto his back into a piggyback position, stands up and shakes his head, "I know."

The team sighs in collective unison at the stubbornness of the King. But, they also realize that that was why those two worked so well together.

"I'm... trd..." Hinata wheezes and dives his head into his shirt before a short burst of coughs follow.

"I know you're tired," Kageyama snaps angrily, regretting it instantly afterwards, "I'll get us there soon... just... try to rest, okay?"

The pair head-off towards Karasuno's bus, only to find the Nekoma team circling them and acting like a group of bodyguards for the pair.

"Kuroo-san?" Kageyama says and tightens his grip on Hinata's legs when he feels the latter's grip fading from fatigue. From the slowed breathing, Tobio could tell that Shōyō was already asleep – and content, as can be deducted from the mutters of pork buns in his sleep. The setter clears his throat and focuses in front of him once more as they walk, "This really isn't necessary..."

"What? We're just walking to our bus," Kuroo answers with a non-chalant shrug.

Coincidentially, Kageyama knows for a fact that Nekoma's bus was on the other side of the building, as Hinata had raced with him to there in order to catch up to Kenma before the match.

The crowds in the hallway dissipate to the sides as Lev and Yamamoto takes the lead in creating a path for them. Kai and Yaku were calmly defending the sides, apologizing for the supporters and fans as they make their way through the crowd- thanking them when they've finally passed through.

It didn't take half as long to work his way through the crowd this time, Kageyama realizes with a surge of appreciation when they finally make it outside towards the Karasuno bus.

The rest of the team weren't back yet, but at least Coach Ukai was standing at the doors, ready for Hinata and Kageyama to arrive. From the look on his face, obviously Nishinoya had told him what had happened.

"Well then, later!" Kuroo exclaims, waving casually as the team finally leaves their post as protectors to the Freak Quick duo.

"Kuroo-senpai!" Kageyama calls after him, slowly bowing in order to keep Hinata balanced, "Thank you for everything."

"We didn't do anything," Kuroo answers with a grin.

"Please take care of him," Kenma says, his sharp eyes trained upon Kageyama's.

"I will."


End file.
